How to create a Line stacked chart

Displays filled lines stacked on top of each other, similar to a stacked area chart. Ideal for visualising cumulative totals and how each series contributes to the whole.

When to use a Line stacked chart

This format is ideal when you need to:

  • Show how multiple data series add up to a cumulative total across categories.

  • Highlight both the overall trend and individual contributions within each category.

  • Visualise how components contribute to growth or change over time.

  • Maintain a sense of progression while layering data in a compact, area-filled format. 

How to build a Line stacked chart

  • In the Explore Data tool, go to the Build Your Chart step.

  • Under the Type tab, select Line stacked.

  • Here is an example:

💡 Tips for Line stacked chart

  1. Good for cumulative totals over time: Stacked lines show how individual components contribute to an overall trend.

  2. Use when totals matter: Best used when the total trend line is meaningful, and you want to show how parts make up the whole.

  3. Use contrasting colours for clearer segment separation: Distinct, high-contrast colours improve readability, especially when many segments are close in value.

  4. Challenging to compare individual segments: Only the bottom series is easy to compare accurately over time—use with caution if precise comparison between segments is needed.